Oral History Abstracts - U-V

ONE ROOM SCHOOL PROJECT
Uchaez recalls teaching in a one room school near Springfield: the structure of the building, teachers' training, community relations with the school, methods of teaching, and the wages of teachers.

Ulery, farmer, discusses early 20th century rural life near Morrisonville, Illinois: parents' life and work, early schooling, religious life, teaching in a one room school, dairy farming, farm neighbors, butchering, woodworking and blacksmithing, WWI and the Depression, and furniture making.

ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM
Van der Vries, Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives 1935-56, discusses her activities and concerns in the General Assembly: work with health, welfare, and education legislation; interstate governmental cooperation; municipal codes; the Illinois War Council; the Council of State Governments; "women on juries" bill; and women in the legislature. She also discusses her life before the General Assembly: family and childhood at the turn of the century in Holton, Kansas, high school, college life at the University of Kansas and Bernard College in New York; husband's career and moves to Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Winnetka, Illinois; and her involvement with the League of Women Voters and Winnetka Village Council. She also discusses her life after the General Assembly as a lobbyist for the Chicago Transit Authority, civic work, the National Society for Crippled Children, and her reflections on politics.

ILLINOIS COAL: THE LEGACY OF AN INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY
VanHooser, coal miner, discusses mining in the Taylorville area in central Illinois: mechanization in the mines, mine wars of the 1930's between the PMA and the UMW, and the impact of the mine wars on the community.

Interview by Kevin Corley, 1986
OPEN
See collateral file: interviewer's notes and photocopies of photos, certificates and articles from the National Coal Museum.

Vasconcelles, journalist, discusses the relationship between reporters and political personalities at the Illinois Statehouse: press work and activities, press relations with Governors and with members and staff of the General Assembly; reporters, photographers, and public relations people; and women as reporters. Also recalls growing up in Jacksonville, Illinois, working as a telegraph operator, and moving to Springfield. His also recalls his army service in the Philippines and Korea during WWII.

Interview by Kitty Wrigley, 1979
OPEN
See collateral file: interviewer's notes and photographs.

Victor, chairman of the board of Thrifty Drugs, Inc., discusses his interest and involvement in the pharmacy business; work at and description of Ralph's Drugstore in Springfield; pharmacy school; owning his first drugstore and its expansion into the Thrifty Drugstore chain. He describes the set-up of his drugstores: goods, generic drugs, customers, employee benefits, business practices, and changes in drug making. He also recalls the Springfield community, his childhood, Depression, community projects and fundraising, contracts with the State of Illinois, and his art collection.

Victor, wife of Benjamin Victor (above), recalls her early years growing up in a Jewish family in the small town of Worden, Illinois, her parents, moving to Edwardsville, attending high school there, her early interest in speech and acting, attending Washington University and the Morse School of Expression in St. Louis, her marriage to Springfield pharmacist Benjamin Victor in 1931, the birth of her children, and the death of her son Michael at the age of 20. She also discusses the establishment of the Michael Victor II Art Library at the Springfield Art Association in 1964, the library's collections and programs, and her own collection of art and sculpture.

Interview by Eugenia Eberle, 2000.
Gift of Eugenia Eberle.
OPEN
Memoir includes copies of newspaper clippings and other documents regarding the Michael Victor II Art Library, and copied photos of Devera, Benjamin, Jospeh, and Michael Victor.